Monday, August 26, 2019

NOTE: Giveaway closed. Random.org picked comment #4, and Allison will be getting her prize soon. Thanks!Hi, and welcome to my day on the Island Batik Ambassador Beat the Heat blog hop! I'm featuring Steam Engine, by Deb Tucker of Studio 180 Designs. So I found a steam engine that could help display this gorgeous collection.

Here's the flatlay of the collection. A few of the collections this year featured gears, fans and chains, but this one has the gorgeous plum and teal, along with grey and blue.

So, let me tell you the story about this collection and my design for it. This was wrapped in gift paper in the January Ambassador box. Once I opened it, (off camera) I put it in an Artbin box, the 12" square totes that is sold for scrapbooking supplies, but works just as well for fabric collections (watch for them on clearance at Sam's Club after Back to School). I put it on a special shelf so that I would not be tempted to use it before now, except to make the rep sample. But the ideas and colors were on my mind for months. I knew it had some darker colors, and I wanted to add black, and use the Hobb's black 80/20 batting that was included in the same box. In the beginning of August, I put the box on my cutting table, and really looked again. Then I went to EQ8 and did some searching for blocks. I was wondering if there was one that had gears, then thought of the wind turbines I saw so often on my trip to Colorado 2 years ago. I searched for windmill blocks, and found a double windmill. It looked a little challenging, especially with the partial seam needed for the center, but when I put in in the grid I LOVED what happened with the secondary design. I uploaded the fabric samples into the program and played with placement of the colors.

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I also looked at foundation piecing and rotary cutting directions, and the size of the pieces. I kept playing with the block size until I didn't have too many pieces to cut on 1/16 inch lines. Yup, it's a tricky block to cut. I ended up making the blocks 17" finished. That also meant that the fabrics would really shine in the blocks. I was given 2 yards each of the dark teal bolt design (used in the border) and a light fabric. Since I wanted to try the black batting, I decided to use the solid Grey and Black from Island Batik, instead of too many of the light designs. So, I cut out a block and tested it, and figured it would be okay to just piece it. If you look around the purple center, the unit that makes the fan blades is a pieced triangle square, which measures 6 1/2". Once that's done, you add either a a wedge shape or a 1/2 goose block, do the partial seam around the center plum fan square, then the setting triangles of grey. I opted to make 20 blocks, to make sure that all of the darker fabrics were included, and some of the lighter ones. In a 4 by 5 setting, with borders, the top measures about 88 by 106". I know, I'm going HUGE but with Vanna, my Handiquilter Amara, I figured I would really test it out, and see how long it takes to quilt. I also purchased a wide backing fabric in a black/grey design. The batting is queen size.

The original plan (EQ8 photo here) was to use a lighter inner border, but I was worried about show-through from the batting. I opted for the black instead.

So, about the photos! I had most of the blocks done, but the top was not together last Tuesday. My QBFF (quilting best friend forever), Christine, was over and we were doing some counted cross stitching, and chatting, and I asked her for suggestions for photo locations, for steam engines or gears. She suggested a junk yard, which may have worked. I thought about trains, and we do have a very active rail road system, but not steam engines. It's commuter, not often carrying freight cars. I said Steamtown National Historic Site is in Scranton, PA, and they have tons of steam engines, but I can't bring just blocks. She said "But you're going to Scranton tomorrow! Get some blocks together and use that. So I said "Duh, it's a block away from my eye doctor's appointment at Northeastern Eye Institute." I have not found a Long Island eye doctor that's as great as Dr. Shovlin and his team, for my special lenses for Keratoconus, so my son was coming down from PA to stay with Mom so I could get to my appointment in PA. So, after Christine left, I ran upstairs, grabbed 9 of the completed blocks, and quickly stitched them together. Right after my appointment, I drove over to the park.

I asked someone walking past to hold this for me. Thanks, kind sir! And when I saw the spinning designs in this photo, I was really excited. So much going on!

I loved how the grey paint on the wheels matched the grey fabric for the design, and that the gears and bolts were similar.

So, over the past few days, I finished making the blocks, got them added to the original 9, and added the borders. I was hoping to get it quilted, but that will be soon. I'm searching for quilting designs, maybe one that has gears or fans, or maybe a design like the center plum square. I think I'll do an edge to edge, but that may change, lol Vanna may want to do custom stuff for the blocks. I did get a dark grey Aurifil Forty3 thread, and ordered the dark teal for border, but that's not in yet.

As for Beating the Heat, I really enjoyed my day in Scranton. I love the cooler air and driving through the mountains and seeing the woods. I love to travel to beat the heat, but on Long Island, I'm always using fans or AC which is another reason this quilt design works!

All fabric for the top is from Island Batik as part of the Ambassador program. Aurifil 50wt thread was used for piecing, and Hobb's batting will be used, and both are provided for Ambassadors, as well.

So, thanks for stopping by, and for reading this far. I know I can write a novella for a blog post, but I really wanted to share the fun of creating this quilt and getting the photos. So, since you've come this far, leave me a comment either about the fabric, or something you enjoy to cool off, and I'll enter you for a drawing of some Fat Quarters from my left-overs, and maybe some surprises. I'll cover shipping for US winners, and if you're international, if you don't mind paying the difference for the shipping cost, you can enter as well. Entries open through September 3, when I'll pick a winner. Please make sure I can contact you.

Also, remember to visit the Rafflecopter link below to enter to win fabric from Island Batik. And follow the other Ambassadors sharing their collections. Many have ongoing give-aways, as well, and there are some gorgeous quilts to inspire you.

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Hi! What do you hope to get done this month? My main project is the Island Batik Beat the Heat blog hop project. My day is August 26, so I'm hoping to have the quilt completely done by then. I may not have it quilted, but I'm hoping. Here's the collection, called Steam Engine. I don't want to show the blocks yet, because I want it to be a great reveal for the blog hop.

Here's the official "flat lay" photo from Island Batik.

The gear fabrics are great, plus the fans. So much fun to work with. So, any guesses as to the design or block I'm using?

In addition to getting this done, I'm also finishing another quilt made with Island Batik Freedom, for a secret reason, so I can't show that now. It's on Vanna the long arm. and I want to finish my Friendship Stars quilt, the blue, yellow and white one, from the Christmas Collection blog hop last week. And I need to make an octopus

Friday, August 2, 2019

Hi, and thanks for reading. As an Island Batik Ambassador, I've met some wonderful quilters online. When Nancy asked for help to promote her book, Masterpiece Quilting Christmas Collection, I wanted to help. You can order her book from Amazon. There are many great designs in this book, and I picked 2 that I liked. Nancy suggested I choose the cover quilt, the Friendship Stars Throw. My initial idea was to use scraps, but when I looked at the design again, and the piecing instructions, I decided to just choose 2 colors, like the original, but not for Christmas. I also wanted to use older fabrics that I had, and not purchase anything. That also meant I didn't use Island Batik. I know, this is so unusual for me, not having an Island Batik quilt! It was fun to dig through my fabrics, and I pulled out a Hoffman print from 2008, based on the yardage listed in my copy. I had a 3/4 yard piece of yellow that looked pretty with the blue and yellow floral, and had a large enough piece of white tone on tone with a lacey look design to go with it. After I began cutting out the pieces, I realized that the published requirement was off. And it was too late to try to find more of the blue fabric, so I made do with another blue print that looks okay, and only needed to use it for the center block, as I squeezed the Hoffman print scraps to make it work. The piecing directions and photos are great, but I opted to use my favorite method for creatign the blocks, using Quilt in a Day rulers. That's one thing I love about using patterns. If you prefer another method, use it. I could have used the Accuquilt GO, as well. Please note, if you choose to make this design from the book, you'll need at least 2 yards of the RED fabric listed for blocks and borders. There was also a missing cutting direction for the "GREEN" 2 7/8" squares for the Friendship block, you need 26. It's the C square in the directions. Just check your directions before proceeding, and verify that the yardage listed is enough to do the piecing. I am opting to use a different fabric for binding, which is the same I used for the center block.

Hmm, if you happen to have a FQ or a 6" by 12" scrap of that Hoffman fabric from 2008, please let me know. I may opt to change out that center block. It doesn't look bad in regular light, but with the sun coming from behind, it shows.

I love it and can't wait to get it on Vanna (my Handiquilter Amara) to be quilted. I think I'm just going to do an edge to edge, but that may change once it's on the machine. I'll share a post when it's done. Please also stop at the other bloggers for this hop to see their take on Nancy's designs, and to enter to win some of the patterns from Nancy's Masterpiece Quilting post.

About Me

Hi. I am a teacher/professor, crafter, dressmaker, costume designer, quilter, singer, baker and cook. I joke that my dad is a Jack of all trades, and I am Jack's daughter. I love creating things for my family and friends. Enjoy my blog!Thanks for looking. If you wish to contact me about my crafts or if you need a quick recipe, email me at marymackmademine@gmail.com.